mous Author of many Sea Songs. Some naval officers are of opinion, that this Ode, however sublime, is not sufficiently correct, in the terms of Navigation, to be assigned to so able a seaman as FALCONER: he might not, however, in these lines, have introduced the nicety of that science in so great a degree as he has done in THE SHIPWRECK: thus far, at least, is certain, that he used to repeat, with particular pleasure to his friends, some lines of a similar Poem which had then appeared, and always considered The Storm as a sublime subject for such a composition.

Before I conclude the account of FALCONER's literary life, previous to the year 1762, I beg leave to pre

brought up under him. He died Commander of the Grampus, off the Coast of Africa, January 17, 1786. Captain THOMSON was the Author of The Top Sails shiver in the Wind, written about 1780; and of Loose every Sail to the Breeze,-Behold, upon the gallant Wave, &c. He published, in 1764, a Poem, called the Soldier; in 1765, the Courtezan, a Poem, and the Demirep;` in 1766, his Sailor's Letters; in 1776, an edition of Whitehead's, and also of Andrew Marvel's Works, and a humourous Poem, called the Electric Eel; in 1778, a Collection of Poems called the Muse's Mirror. He was also the Author of many dramatic Pieces; and in 1773, with Mr. John Macmillan, began the Westminster Magazine.

sent the reader with the following excellent little Poem, descriptive of the abode and sentiments of a Midshipman. It was originally called by our Author simply The Midshipman; which name has since been lost in the more technical one of ORLOP, or the Deck immediately over the Hold: where, far removed from the light of day, and at a considerable distance below the surface of the water, the Cabins, or Births of the Midshipmen are placed:

THE MIDSHIPMAN.

Aid me, kind MUSE! So whimsical a Theme,
No Poet ever yet pursued for Fame;

Boldly I venture on a Naval Scene,

Nor fear the Critic's frown, the Pedant's spleen :
SONS OF THE OCEAN! we their rules disdain,
Our bosom's honest, and our style is plain :
Let HOMER's heroes, and his gods delight;
Let MILTON with infernal legions fight;
His favourite Warrior, polished VIRGIL show;
With love, and wine, luxurious HORACE glow-
Be such their subjects; I another choose,
As yet neglected by the laughing Muse.

Deep in that Fabric, where BRITANNIA boasts
O'er Seas to waft her thunder, and her hosts,
A Cavern lies! unknown to cheering day;
Where one small Taper lends a feeble ray :

Where wild Disorder holds her wanton reign,
And careless Mortals frolic in her train-
Bending beneath a Hammock's friendly shade,
See ESCULAPIUS all in arms display'd;

In his right hand th' impending steel he holds,
The other, round the trembling victim folds;
His gaping Myrmidon the deed attends,
Whilst in the pot the crimson stream descends;
Unawed, young GALEN bears the hostile brunt,
Pills in his rear, and CULLEN in his front;
Whilst, mustered round the medicinal pile,
Death's grim militia stand in rank and file.
In neighbouring Mansions, lo! what clouds arise,
It half conceals its Owner from our eyes;
One penny light with feeble lustre shines,
To prove the MID in high Olympus dines;
Let us approach-the preparation view!
A COCKPIT BEAU is surely something new:
To him JAPAN her varnished joys denies;
Nor bloom for him the sweets of Eastern skies:
His rugged limbs no lofty Mirror shows,
Nor tender Couch invites him to repose:
A pigmy glass upon his Toilet stands,

Crack'd o'er and o'er by awkward clumsy hands;
CHESTERFIELD's page polite, the Seaman's Guide,
An half-eat biscuit, CONGREVE'S Mourning Bride,
Bestrewed with powder, in confusion lie,
And form a chaos to th' intruding eye-
At length this Meteor of an hour is drest,
And rises an ADONIS from his Chest:
Cautious he treads, least some unlucky slip

Defiles his clothes with Burgou, or with Flip :

These rocks escaped, arrives in statu quo;
Bows; dines, and bows; then sinks again below.

Not far from hence a joyous GROUP are met,
For social mirth and sportive pastime set;
In cheering Grog the rapid course goes round,
And not a care in all the circle's found:
Promotion, Mess-Debts, absent Friends, and Love
Inspired by Hope, in turn their topics prove:
To proud Superiors then, they each look up,
And curse all Discipline in ample cup.

Hark! yonder voice in hollow murmur swells : Hark! yonder voice the MID to DUTY calls! Thus summoned by the Gods, he deigns to go, But first makes known his Consequence below: At Slavery rails, scorns lawless Sway to Hell, And damns the power allowed a white lapel : Vows that he's free!-to stoop, to cringe disdains Ascends the Ladder, and resumes his Chains.

In canvassed Birth, profoundly deep in thought,
His busy mind with Sines and Tangents fraught,
A MID reclines !-in calculation lost!

His efforts still by some intruder crost:
Now to the Longitude's vast height he soars,
And now formation of LAPSCOUs explores;

Now o'er a field of Logarithms bends,
And now to make a Pudding he pretends:
At once the Sage, the Hero, and the Cook,

He weilds the Sword, the Saucepan, and the Book.
Opposed to him a sprightly Mess-mate lolls,
Declaims with GARRICK, or with SHUTER drolls;
Sometimes his breast great CATO's virtue warms,
And then his task the gay LOTHARIO charms;

CLEONE's grief his tragic feelings wake,

With RICHARD's pangs th' ORLOPIAN CAVERN shake!
No more the Mess for other joys repine,

When Pea-Soup entering shews 'tis time to dine.

But think not meanly of this humble Seat,

Whence sprung the Guardians of THE BRITISH FLEET:
Revere the Sacred Spot, however low,

Which formed to martial acts-an HAWKE! an Howe!†

We now approach the most important event in the literary life of FALCONER; who, like both his friends, Captain and Lieutenant HUNTER, urged on his course through every threatening obstacle: without becoming dependent on any assistance but that of Providence, he emerged at length from obscurity, and gained the utmost summit of his ambition. The first edition of THE SHIPWRECK was printed in quarto, by MILLAR, in May 1762; and was dedicated to His Royal Highness EDWARD Duke of York, who then had hoisted his Flag, as Rear-Admiral of the Blue, on board the PRINCESS AMELIA, of 80 guns; attached to the Fleet under Sir EDWARD HAWKE. This Fleet was sent after M. DE TERNAY, and afterwards cruized off the

+ Captain Howe, in 1755, commanded the ALCIDE in a memorable action with the Lys. He also led the van in the MAGNANIME, 1757, under Admiral KNOWLES, in the attack on Arx.